Dec. 11, 2006: Obama fever grips NH

MANCHESTER – The spectacle that is "Obama-mania" swept New Hampshire yesterday as Sen. Barack Obama introduced himself to Democratic voters in the first-in-the-nation primary state.

The junior senator from Illinois made a whirlwind debut that included a book signing in Portsmouth and an afternoon speech before a crowd of 1,500 at the Radisson hotel in downtown Manchester. In between, he stopped for a moment of traditional Granite State retail politicking at the Breaking New Grounds coffee shop in Portsmouth's Market Square.

His visit had most of the markings of a presidential campaign stop, though Obama assured reporters he has not yet decided whether he will enter the race. The senator has said he plans to announce his decision around the start of the new year.

"I think this is one of those offices where you can't run just on the basis of ambition," Obama said in a 25-minute question-and-answer session with the media. "I think you have to feel deep in your gut that you have a vision for the country."

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama makes his way through the crowd after speaking. (MARK BOLTON)

Supporters in Manchester paid $25 apiece to see the senator, whose stated purpose was to help New Hampshire Democrats celebrate their historic gains in last month's elections. In a sharp rebuke to the state's Republican majority, voters handed Democrats control of the Legislature, the Executive Council and both of the state's U.S. House seats. Lynch, the state's popular Democratic governor, won reelection by a landslide.

With Obama on board, organizers relocated the event to the Armory convention center in the Radisson after the original site proved too small to meet demand. Tickets sold out in a week.

"We originally scheduled the Rolling Stones for this party," Gov. John Lynch joked on stage. "But we cancelled them when we realized Sen. Obama would sell more tickets."

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Obama, 45, rose to stardom virtually overnight after his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. A state senator at the time, he won election to the U.S. Senate less than four months later.

Since announcing that he is considering a run, he has shrugged off suggestions that he lacks the experience expected of a presidential candidate. He also downplayed concerns Americans would not support a black man for president.

Several supporters who paid to catch a glimpse of the senator yesterday said they were ready for an Obama candidacy, including some who held out the hope that he would use his appearance to formally announce his aspirations.

"He's so truthful and honest," said Pauline Boggis, a supporter from Milford. "It's a breath of fresh air."

In interviews and in his book, "The Audacity of Hope," Obama defined himself as an antidote to the partisan and cynical politics he routinely decries. His vision, he said, includes universal access to health care, a minimum-wage hike, government support for stem cell research and lower student loan rates.

The senator has called for a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and urged the U.S. to involve Syria and Iran in future discussions of Iraq's future. He said U.S. foreign policy should be "tough and smart, because what we've seen is tough and dumb."

Obama's speech drew about 150 reporters from across the country, including all of the national papers, major news magazines and cable news networks. A few reporters were filing stories for outlets as far away as England and Australia.

Fox News was airing live reports from the Merrimack Restaurant on Elm Street more than 24 hours before Obama was scheduled to speak.

"This is about as far away from the election as you can get," noted Adam Conner, a blogger writing for RunObama.com. "This kind of energy, this excitement -- it's amazing."

Obama was not the only prospective candidate in New Hampshire this weekend. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., who has taken one step farther than Obama by forming a presidential exploratory committee, drew an estimated crowd of 150 to 200 supporters to the Puritan restaurant in Manchester Saturday night.

"Sen. Bayh has been in the state many times previously," state Sen. Betsi DeVries, who attended Bayh's event, noted by way of comparison. "I think people in New Hampshire are still waiting to see what Barack Obama is all about and what he stands for."

Another potential candidate, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., is scheduled to visit the Granite State next week. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is expected to make an appearance this month.

Jim Demers, a Concord lobbyist who chaired Dick Gephardt's last campaign in New Hampshire, said Obama has made calls to several of the state's key Democrats, including Lynch, party chairwoman Kathy Sullivan and state Sen. Lou D'Allesandro.

Obama also paid a visit yesterday to the Manchester law offices of Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green, where about 100 supporters paid $150 apiece for a more intimate and casual meeting with the senator.

►Obama book-signing brings out a big crowd too
►Updated AP Video: Obama's visit to New Hampshire
►NY Times coverage
►DNC rules won't keep Obama out of NH primary
►Bayh stumps in Keene
►Clinton said today she won't decide this month
►Kucinich will enter the race tomorrow